Optical recording medium, information reproduction apparatus and information recording/reproduction

ABSTRACT

User data recording areas and intermediate areas are alternately arranged on a disk. The intermediate area records at least information for synchronization.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 10,233,671, filed Sep. 4, 2002, and for which priority is claimedunder 35 U.S.C. §120. This application is based upon and claims thebenefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from the prior Japanese PatentApplication No. 2001-271895, filed Sep. 7,2001, the entire contents ofboth applications are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical recording medium, aninformation reproduction apparatus, and an information recording andreproduction apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, in the field of optical disks whose recording densityis high, various types of formats are proposed. Read only informationstorage media (DVD-ROM), recordable information storage media (DVD-R),and re-recordable information storage media (DVD-RW or DVD-RAM) havebeen developed as optical disks.

In the field of optical disks in which various types of formats arepresent as described above, there are inconveniences for both the usersand the manufacturers in the purchasing and manufacturing ofreproduction apparatus, recording apparatus, and the like.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an apparatus that substantiallyobviates one or more of the problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided aread only storage medium comprising user data recording areas andintermediate areas which are alternately arranged, the intermediateareas recording at least information for synchronization.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided an information storage medium comprising sectors each of whichis a first unit of information for recording; segments each of which isformed of at least one the sectors and is a second unit of informationfor recording, the segments recording information for synchronization;and an error correction block which is formed of at least one of thesegments, has the same division point as a block division point of errorcorrection, and is a third unit of information for recording.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be setforth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious fromthe description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.

The objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized andobtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularlypointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the presentinvention and, together with the general description given above and thedetailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explainthe principles of the present invention in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are an explanatory diagram for explanation of adata arranging method within a read only information storage medium or aread only area of an information storage medium, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are an explanatory diagram for explanation ofthe data arranging method within the read only information storagemedium or the read only area of the information storage medium, relatingto FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explanation of one segment area (acontinuous data recording unit) within the read only information storagemedium or the read only area of the information storage medium;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram, for comparison, which explains effectsof the data arranging method on the information storage medium accordingto the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram explaining effects of the dataarranging method on the information storage medium according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing one segment area (a continuousdata recording unit) within a recording area (recordable area orre-recordable area) of a recordable information storage medium accordingto the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D are an explanatory diagram showing an exampleof a user data recording method within the recording area (recordablearea or re-recordable area) of the recordable information storage mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining the structure of the recordableinformation storage medium according to the embodiment of the presentinvention, and the user data recording method shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram shown for explanation, in relation to FIG. 8, of thestructure of the recordable information storage medium according to theembodiment of the present invention, and the user data recording methodshown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are an explanatory diagram relating to the necessityof interval areas shown in FIG. 8 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D are an explanatory diagram showing a secondexample of a user data recording method within the recording area(recordable area or re-recordable area) of the recordable informationstorage medium according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, and 12E are an explanatory diagram showing athird example of a user data recording method within the recording area(recordable area or re-recordable area) of the recordable informationstorage medium according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, and 13E are a diagram for explanation of therelationship between a physical sector and a logical sector applied tothe data structure of the read only area, the recordable area, and there-recordable area of the information storage medium according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, and 14E are a diagram for explanation of therelationship between the physical sector and the logical sector appliedto the data structure of the read only area, the recordable area, andthe re-recordable area of the information storage medium according tothe embodiment of the present invention, and information afterscrambling;

FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D are a diagram for explanation of an ECCblock applied to the data structure of the read only area, therecordable area, and the re-recordable area of the information storagemedium according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 16A, 16B, and 16C are a diagram for explanation of therelationship between the ECC block and the physical sector applied tothe data structure of the read only area, the recordable area, and there-recordable area of the information storage medium according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D are a diagram for explanation of anarrangement of synchronous frame data applied to the data structure ofthe read only area, the recordable area, and the re-recordable area ofthe information storage medium according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C are an explanatory diagram showing therelationship between the synchronous frame data and a synchronous code,and a synchronous frame length;

FIGS. 19A, 19B, 19C, and 19D are an explanatory diagram showing anexample of the structure of the synchronous code according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 20A, 20B, and 20C are an explanatory diagram showing a detailedexample of the structure of the synchronous code according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C are an explanatory diagram showing an example ofan arrangement pattern of the synchronous frame data and the synchronouscode according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of indexingsynchronous frame positions within one physical sector from the order inwhich the codes for synchronous frame position identification arealigned within the synchronization code;

FIG. 23 is a similar explanatory diagram showing a method of indexingsynchronous frame positions within one physical sector from the order inwhich the codes for synchronous frame position identification arealigned within the synchronization code;

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of scramblingprocessing of data to be recorded on the information storage mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of scramblingprocessing of data to be recorded on the information storage mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing a method by which datarecorded on the information storage medium according to the embodimentof the present invention is subjected to descrambling processing;

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing a method by which datarecorded on the information storage medium according to the embodimentof the present invention is subjected to descrambling processing;

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a recording system in an informationrecording and reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a reproduction system in the informationrecording and reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a structural example of a scramblingcircuit according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a structural example of a descramblingcircuit according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling access to apredetermined position by using a PA area in the information recordingand reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing the continuation of FIG. 32;

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing the continuation of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 a flowchart showing a method of controlling access to apredetermined position by using a PS area in the information recordingand reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing the continuation of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing the continuation of FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 is a flowchart for explanation of a recording method or are-recording method in the information recording and reproductionapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 39 is a flowchart showing the continuation of FIG. 38.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of an information recording/reproduction apparatusaccording to the present invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

Firstly, in order to easily understand the embodiment of the presentinvention, the data structure and the reproduction mechanism or therecording mechanism in current optical disks will be described.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) specifications have been described inspecifications book issued by a DVD forum. Here, all of a method ofscrambling main data, a data structure in a sector, a method ofstructuring an ECC (Error Correction Code) block, and a pattern of async code (Synchronous Code: a synchronization code at the time ofreproduction) and a method of inserting the sync code common to a readonly information storage medium (DVD-ROM), a recordable informationstorage medium (DVD-R), and a re-recordable information storage medium(DVD-RW or DVD-RAM), and compatibility of the formats at the time ofreproduction is ensured.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as described above, aninformation storage medium in which a recording format (a data structureof information to be recorded on an information storage medium) is madecommon to the read only information storage medium (DVD-ROM), therecordable information storage medium (DVD-R), and the re-recordableinformation storage medium (DVD-RW or DVD-RAM), and compatibility of theformats at the time of reproduction is ensured, is defined as amulti-purpose information storage medium (Digital Versatile Disk) (whichmeans being able to be adapted to the respective aims which are a readonly aim, a recording aim, and a re-recording aim).

[Points of Interest for Various Types of Disks]

Here, the various types of optical disks will be described, and theproblems thereof as well will be described.

(A) DVD-R exists as recordable information storage media.

In a DVD-R, data is recorded in the same format as a DVD-ROM which is aread only information storage medium. A Next Border Marker is recordedas the original data before scrambling/modulation at the ending positionof a series of recording, and a “border-out” area in which repeated dataof “00” is recorded for a long range is recorded after recording.

Thereafter, when new information is recorded, after a “border-in” areais recorded after the “border-out” area, user information (in the sameformat as a DVD-ROM) is recorded, and a “border-out” area is recordedagain after ending of recording of the user information.

When such a method is adopted, if recording of the user information isfrequently carried out on one information storage medium, recordingareas of Borderout/Borderin, which are unnecessary from the standpointof the user information, increases and a problem arises in that theamount of user information which can be recorded on one informationstorage medium decreases (a deterioration of recording efficiencyoccurs).

As reasons necessary for recording the Borderin/Borderout for eachrecording in this way, there are reasons (A1) and (A2) as follows.

Reason (A1): for ensuring tracking stability at the time of accessing

After standardizing and manufacturing of DVD-ROM, standardizing andmanufacturing of DVD-R were carried out. It is necessary thatinformation recorded on a DVD-R disk (recordable-type informationstorage medium) can be reproduced by a read only informationreproduction apparatus for the previously-manufactured DVD-ROM disks.Currently, a DPD (Differential Phase Detection) method is used for mosttrack offset detecting methods carried out at the time of reproducing aDVD-ROM disk.

A pregroove is continuously formed on the DVD-R disk in an unrecordedstate, and a Push-Pull method is used as a track offset detecting methodat unrecorded places. At the recorded area of the DVD-R disk, trackoffset detection is possible by the DPD method from the above-describedreason.

Accordingly, the track offset detecting methods are different on therecorded areas and the unrecorded areas in the DVD-R disk. In such asituation, for example, when reproduction of data of a recorded area isattempted from immediately after carrying out rough accessing in whichthe reproduction position is moved by moving the entire optical head,the optical head moves to the unrecorded area by mistake at the stage ofrough accessing. A problem arises in that, if tracking is attempted,tracking cannot be carried out because track offset detection by DPD isimpossible. Thus, due to the Borderin/Borderout being recorded, trackingis stabilized.

Reason (A2): for solving the problem of synchronization offset betweenthe data of the recorded area and the recorded data

A problem when other data is recorded in accordance with the format ofthe DVD-ROM from immediately after a recorded area on the DVD-R diskwill be described. In this case, the frequency and the phase of areference clock for use in preparing a recording pulse in theinformation recording reproduction apparatus cannot completely coincidewith the frequency and the phase of a (past) reference clock at the timeof recording data in the recorded area which exists immediatelytherebefore. Therefore, synchronization offset between the data of therecorded area before recording and the data after recording arises.Accordingly, when it is recorded in this way, a phase shift arisesbetween the data before and after a boundary which is the recording headposition, and bit shift errors easily occur. Therefore, when data isnewly recorded, the “border-out” area is arranged after the recordedarea before recording, and at the recording position, due to the“border-in” area being arranged before recording user data, the physicaldistance between the user data before and after the boundary which isthe recording head position increases. By carrying out synchronizing ofthe information reproduction apparatus again in the “border-in” area,the accuracy of the synchronizing at the user data positions before andafter the boundary which is the recording head position is ensured.

(B) DVD-RW exists as re-recordable information storage medium.

There is a recording method called “restricted overwrite” as aninformation re-recording method at DVD-RW. This method is a recordingmethod in which the next data can be recorded or re-recorded from afterthe previously recorded data without recording the above-described“border-in/border-out” area.

However, because the recording method by “restricted overwrite” destroysone part of the previously recorded data and carries out re-recording ofnew data, the reliability of the recorded data markedly deteriorates.When the recording method by “restricted overwrite” is used in this way,the reason (problem) for destruction of one part of the recorded data isas follows.

Reason (B1): In a DVD-ROM, there is no synchronizing preparation areawhich is necessary for reproducing recorded or re-recorded information.

Namely, in current DVD-ROM, since reproduction of AV (Audio & Video)information or installing of a program is the main object, the demandsfor high speed access and the demands for shortening the time until thereproduction starting time are not that strong. Accordingly, as the datastructure of the data recorded in a current DVD-ROM, a data structure,in which there is no recorded area of a VFO (Variable FrequencyOscillator) used as information for specific synchronizing and the userdata is continuously recorded, is adopted.

When an information reproduction apparatus reproduces information from aDVD-ROM disk, the optical head accesses an appropriate position, andsynchronizing is carried out by using a reproduction signal from theuser data already recorded. Accordingly, since the synchronizing is notcompleted for the reproduction data immediately after accessing in thismethod, decoding for the user data cannot be carried out. Aftercompleting accessing, after a while, the reproduction/decoding of theuser data becomes possible from the point where the synchronizing iscompleted. If recording or re-recording of the data in a unit of sectoris attempted in a state corresponding to the data structure of theDVD-ROM, as described in aforementioned reason (A2), synchronizationoffset occurs between the data of the recorded sector and the sectordata recorded or re-recorded immediately thereafter that, and it isimpossible to continuously and steadily reproduction before and afterthat.

As a provisional, proposed solution for the above-described problem, amethod as follows is adopted. Namely, in the “restricted overwrite” modein the DVD-RW, a VFO for synchronizing at the DVD-ROM does not exist.Instead, as the synchronizing preparation area (running period), onepart of the recorded sector data immediately before the recording headposition is crushed. The synchronizing preparation area is detected, andthe recording head position is determined, and it is possible toaccurately reproduce from the recording head position.

The “restricted overwrite” method is a method in which an advancesynchronizing is completed such that it is possible to reproduce/decodedata from the recording head position of the part at which newlyrecording or re-recording is carried out.

However, in this method, the recorded data immediately before newlystarting recording or re-recording is destroyed (in order to prepare thepreparation area for synchronizing), and the reliability of thereproduction operation at the broken part is greatly lacking.

(C) DVD-ROM exist as read only information storage media.

(C1) In a DVD-ROM, data is recorded in a unit of sector, and when adesired point is accessed, information of identification data (whichcorresponds to data ID 1 of the present embodiment) recorded at the headposition of each sector is reproduced. Thus, it becomes a mechanism bywhich the position (address) information of each sector can beidentified. However, because 16 sectors together structure one ECC block(Error Correction Code) in a current DVD-ROM, there is need to reproducethe information successively from the sector positioned at the head ofthe ECC block. Currently, there is no method which directly find thehead position of the ECC block, and there is no way except carrying outreproduction successively for each sector while successively decodingthe identification data of the sectors, and it takes much time to accessto the head position of the ECC block.

Thus, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to enablerecording of data in a unit of segment without destroying recorded userdata in a next-generation DVD-R, while ensuring the compatibility ofnext-generation DVD-ROM and the next-generation DVD-R.

Namely, if the above-description are expressed in more detailed words,the object is to provide a read only information storage medium ensuringthe compatibility with information storage media which can record orre-record information in a unit of segment. Further, even if recordingor re-recording in a unit of segment is carried out in theabove-described recordable or re-recordable information storage medium,high reliability for the recorded data can be ensured without destroyingthe data in recorded areas.

The embodiment of the present invention provides a data structure of theinformation storage medium (recording format), or a method of recordinginformation onto the information storage medium, a method of reproducinginformation from the information storage medium, an informationrecording and reproduction apparatus, and an information reproductionapparatus.

Further, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is toprovide a data structure of a information storage medium (recordingformat), a method of recording information onto the information storagemedium and a method of reproducing information from the informationstorage medium suitable for the data structure, or an informationrecording and reproduction apparatus and information reproductionapparatus, in which it is possible to make accessing of the headposition of the ECC block high speed even for next-generation DVD-ROM.

[Description of Outline Shown in the Respective Drawings]

Contents shown in the respective drawings will be described.

FIGS. 1A to 1D, and 2A to 2D explain the basic way of thinking of theembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 explains one segment area(one recording unit of continuous data) in the read only informationstorage medium or the read only area of the information storage mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 explain the advantage in accordance with the dataarranging method on the information storage medium according to theembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 explains one segment area(one recording unit of continuous data) in the recording area(recordable area or re-recordable area) of the recordable informationstorage medium according to the embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7 shows a first example of a user data recording method in therecording area (recordable area or re-recordable area) of the recordableinformation storage medium according to the embodiment of the presentinvention. FIGS. 8 and 9 explain a structure on the recordableinformation storage medium and the user data recording method shown inFIG. 7. In FIGS. 8 and 9, an example in which a wobble modulationpattern is changed at a starting position and a non-starting position ofan ECC block is shown. However, in a mark for determining a recordingstarting point, information (for example, segment ID information or thelike) showing an existing position showing where this mark (or segment)is positioned in the ECC block may be recorded in advance.

FIGS. 10A and 10B explain the necessity of an interval area shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. Moreover, FIGS. 11A to 11D, and 12A to 12E show secondand third examples of the user data recording method in the recordingarea (recordable area or re-recordable area) of the recordableinformation storage medium according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 13A to 13E, 14A to 14E, 15A to 15D, and 16A to 16C explain the ECCblock in the embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 17A to 17D, 18Ato 18C, and 19A to 19D explain a synchronous frame structure in onephysical sector data. FIGS. 20A to 20C explain a synchronous codeaccording to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 20A to20C, a pattern of a synchronous position detecting code 121 isdetermined as follows: (i) the space between “1” and “1” is longer thana maximum length which can be generated by a modulation rule (in theexample of the figure, k+3 “0”s are continuous), and (ii) the spacebetween “1” and “1” does not include the most dense (shortest) lengthwhich can be generated by the modulation rule.

FIGS. 21A to 21C show an arrangement example of the synchronous codes inone physical sector. As this arrangement structure, the same arrangementstructure is adopted in the read only area and the recording area. FIGS.22 and 23 explain a method for indexing a synchronous frame position inone physical sector data from the order of alignment of the synchronousframe position identification codes in the synchronous code.

FIGS. 24 to 27 explain another example of a common data structurerecorded on the information storage medium of the embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 28 shows a structure of a recording system of the informationrecording and reproduction apparatus. FIG. 29 shows a structure of areproduction system of the information recording and reproductionapparatus. FIG. 30 shows an internal structure of a scrambling circuit.FIG. 31 shows an internal structure of a descrambling circuit.

FIGS. 32 to 37 show a flowchart showing a controlling method when theinformation recording and reproduction apparatus accesses apredetermined position on the information storage medium. FIGS. 38 and39 show a flowchart of a recording method or a re-recording method inthe information recording and reproduction apparatus.

[Description of Main Points]

Next, concretely, main portions of the embodiment will be compactlydescribed.

First, with regard to the topic of ensuring tracking stability at thetime of accessing of reason (A1), among read only information storagemedia (next-generation DVD-ROM) and recordable information storagemedia, a physical shape of a “lead-in” area and a data structure of the“lead-in” area are made to have similar shapes (made to be in common),and the track offset detecting method in the “lead-in” area is made tobe in common for information storage media which can record only onetime (next-generation DVD-R) and re-recordable information storage media(next-generation DVD-RW or next-generation DVD-RAM).

In accordance therewith, regardless of the type of the informationstorage medium, in the “lead-in” area, a method in which the trackoffset correction is stably carried out (for example, a DPD(Differential Phase Detection) method is used for track offsetdetection) and an extremely high reliability reproduction signal andidentifying information thereof can be obtained. Moreover, mediaidentifying information showing the type of the above-describedinformation storage medium is recorded in the “lead-in” area.

In this way, the type of the information storage medium is stablydetected, an optimal track offset detecting method in the user data area(for example, the DPD method is used for a read only information storagemedium and a DPP (differential Push-Pull) method is used for arecordable information storage medium) is selected at the informationreproduction apparatus side in accordance with the type of theinformation storage medium, and tracking can be stably carried out forthe user data area.

Further, the measures as follows are carried out with respect to thetopic of eliminating synchronization offset between data in a recordedarea before recording and data after recording of the above-describedreason (A2) and a countermeasure for the point that a synchronizingpreparation area necessary for reproducing the recorded or re-recordedinformation does not exist a DVD-ROM of the above-described reason (B1).

An intermediate area is arranged between the user data recording areaand the next user data recording area which is configured in a unit ofsegment, and data used for synchronizing (VFO data) is recorded in theintermediate area, and the intermediate area is utilized as asynchronizing preparation area for the user data recording area to berecorded next.

As a result, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is possibleto record or re-record information in a unit of segment withoutdestroying the recorded user data. Further, the embodiment of thepresent invention can provide an information storage medium and a datastructure thereof or an information recording method and an informationrecording and reproduction method, and provide an informationreproduction method and an information reproduction apparatus for aninformation storage medium recorded in the data structure, in which thisstructure is commonly used for a recordable information storage mediumand a read only information storage medium, and even a recordableinformation storage medium having the same data structure as a read onlyinformation storage medium is not affected by synchronization offsetbetween segments (a countermeasure to the topic of reason (A1)), and thedata of other segments in a recorded state is not destroyed (acountermeasure to the topic of reason (B1)).

With respect to the problem of the above-described reason (C1) that timeis required to access the head position of the ECC block in the readonly information storage medium, the following measure is taken. Asegment comprises collecting a plurality of sectors together in one ECCblock, and information (a PA/PS area) detecting the intermediateposition is arranged in an intermediate area 301 in each segment. Inaccordance therewith, the place of the intermediate position 301 can bedetected, thereby access to the head position of the ECC block is easierthan in the current method.

As the method of accessing the head position of the ECC block, an accesscontrol is easier by grouping a plurality of sectors together anddetecting in a unit of segment, than successively reproductionidentification data at the head of the sectors as in the current way.

[Effective Points, Functions, Effects and the Like in the Embodiment]

Next, particularly effective points and functional effects in thepresent embodiment will be first described.

[1] The user data recording area and the intermediate area arealternately arranged in the read only information storage medium or theread only area (the “lead-in” area 320 in FIG. 1 or the like) in therecordable information storage medium, and at least data used forsynchronizing is recorded in the intermediate area [corresponding to thecontents described in FIGS. 1A to 2D].

Effective point: Because detecting of the boundary position of the ECCblock is easy and processings up to the start of error correctionprocessing using the ECC block are simplified, it is possible to makethe control high-speed, and to lower the frequency of occurrence ofbugs, and to make the apparatus low-cost.

Namely, detection of the position of the ECC block boundary is firstpossible when information of the synchronous code 110 arranged at 26places in one physical sector 105 (FIG. 21A) is decoded and the headposition of one physical sector 103 is searched for, and the informationof the data ID 1 recorded at the head position of the physical sector103 is reproduced (the method shown in FIG. 4). As compared with this,in the embodiment of the present invention (which corresponds to thecontents described by FIG. 5), when the position of the intermediatearea is detected, the position of the data ID 1, in which is describedaddress information which is arranged behind the intermediate area andis discrete at a segment interval (has jumped by the number of thesectors existing in one segment), is immediately known. Accordingly, inthe present embodiment, the boundary position of the ECC block can beeasily detected.

In particular, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 24, 25, 26,and 27, in order to increase the number of re-recordings, the data ID 1portion is also scrambled. Accordingly, it takes much time to reproducethe data ID 1. Namely, in the data structure of the present embodiment,if the data ID 1 in the physical sector data is reproduced/decoded oneby one, it takes more time to access data than in a current system.

Accordingly, when a method of scrambling such as the present embodimentis adopted, firstly, detecting of the position of the intermediate area301 is carried out, and data accessing has a better effect forshortening the accessing time.

[1a] The data size of the intermediate area described in [1] is made tomatch an integer multiple of the size of one synchronous frame (whichcorresponds to the description of FIGS. 1A to 1D).

As shown in FIGS. 18A to 18C, the synchronous code 110 is arranged atthe head position of the fixed length synchronous frame 308. Similar,the size of the intermediate area 301 coincides with the synchronousframe 308 as shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, and a PA (postamble) area 311having a structure similar to the synchronous code 110 is arranged inthe same synchronous frame 308, as shown in FIG. 2B. Effective point

(1a-1) Because a synchronous frame interval in the user data recordingarea is held in the intermediate area as well, detection of the positionof the synchronous code is easy.

Namely, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, in the physical sector data 5, thesynchronous code 110 is arranged at the head position of the fixedlength synchronous frame 308, and the PA area 311 is arranged at thehead position of the intermediate area 301 having a size matching thesynchronous frame 308. Thus, the arrangement intervals of the PA area311 and the synchronous code 110 always coincident over the entire areain the information storage medium 9 (regardless of any of the read onlyarea and the recordable area).

As a result, if the synchronous code 110 or the PA area 311 is detectedonce, it is possible to estimate the timing in which the synchronouscode 110 or the PA area 311 will be detected since the synchronous code110 or the PA area 311 is arranged at a uniform interval.

Therefore, not only is the detection of the synchronous code 110 or thePA area 311 easy, but also, the detecting accuracy of the synchronouscode 110 or the PA area 311 is improved.

(1a-2) Continuity of the wobble group can be ensured.

Namely, a wobble continuous groove (pregroove) is formed as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 in the user data recording area of the recordableinformation storage medium. As shown in FIG. 7D, FIG. 1D, and FIG. 12D,the physical length of one synchronous frame is an integer multiple of awobble period of the above-described continuous groove.

Therefore, since the data size of the intermediate area is made to matchan integer multiple of one synchronous frame size, it is possible forthe physical length of the intermediate area to match an integermultiple of a wobble period. This means that it is possible for thewobble phases at the starting position and the ending position of theuser data recording area to be always made to coincide.

[1b] Relative address information (in-ECC position information 314/315shown in FIG. 2A) is recorded in the intermediate area described in [1].

Effective Point

As a result, the position of each segment in the ECC block is known. Atthe time of reproduction, the head position of the ECC block is alwayssearched for, and error correction processing is carried out in a unitof ECC block from the head position of the ECC block. Accordingly, asthe present embodiment, by using a structure in which relative addressinformation is recorded in the intermediate area and the position ofeach segment in the ECC block is known, the head position of the ECCblock is quickly found, and an attempt can be made to shorten theprocessing time up to the error correction processing.

[1c] At least one part (the PA area 311 and SY0 or SY5 in the PS area)among the synchronous code 110 in the user data recording area is usedfor (at least one part of) the synchronous code in the intermediate area(which corresponds to SY0, SY4, SY5 of the synchronous frame positionnumber 115 shown in FIG. 20).

Effective Point

As shown in FIG. 20, a specific synchronous code 110 pattern is arrangedin accordance with the position in the physical sector data 5.Therefore, in a sync code position extracting section 45 shown in FIG.29, the position in the physical sector data 5 can be detected by usingthe connection of the synchronous codes 110 detected as shown in FIGS.21A to 21C and 22 to 23. By determining whether it is SY0 or SY5 in thePA area 311 or PS (pre-synchronous) area, the same structure/function asthe synchronous code 110 can be realized. In accordance therewith, inthe sync code position extracting section 45 of FIG. 29, two types ofposition extractions, which are the position extraction of theintermediate area 301 and the position extraction of theintermediate-area 301 in the ECC block 304, are carried out. Therefore,the circuit structure of the information recording and reproductionapparatus or the information reproduction apparatus can be simplified,and it is possible to simplify the processings as described in FIGS. 32to 37.

[1d] The pattern content is changed between the synchronous code 110 inthe user data recording area and the synchronous code in theintermediate area (corresponding to the description of FIGS. 20A to 20Cand 2A to 2D).

Effective Point

The pattern content is changed between the synchronous code 110 in theuser data recording area and the synchronous code in the intermediatearea, thereby it is possible to quickly detect whether the detectinginformation is a position information in the physical sector data 5 or aposition information of the intermediate area 301, in the sync codeposition extracting section 45 in FIG. 29.

[2] The recording position of the intermediate area is detected by usingthe data pattern recorded in the intermediate area described in [1].Namely, the recording position of the intermediate area is detected bydetecting the synchronous code recorded in the intermediate area.

Effective Point

Because ECC block boundary position detection is easy, and theprocessings up to the start of error correction processing by using theECC block are simplified, it is possible to make the control high-speed,to decrease the frequency of occurrence of bugs, and to make theapparatus low-cost.

In current DVDs, it is possible to first detect the ECC block boundaryposition when the head position of one physical sector 103 is searchedfor by decrypting the information of the synchronous code 110 arrangedat 26 places in one physical sector 103, and the information of the dataID 1 recorded at the head position of the physical sector 103 isreproduced (the method shown in FIG. 4).

As compared with thus, in the embodiment of the present invention (thedescription shown in FIG. 5), when the position of the intermediate areais detected, the position of the data ID 1 which is arranged behind theintermediate area and has described therein an address informationdiscrete at a segment interval (has jumped by the number of the sectorsexisting in one segment), is immediately known. Therefore, detection ofthe position of the ECC block boundary is easy.

[3] In a recordable information storage medium and a read only area of aread only information storage medium (or recordable information storagemedium), the arrangement intervals of the user data recording areas andthe intermediate areas from the standpoint of the arranged states or thenumber of data bits are made to coincide.

Namely, as is clear in comparison with FIGS. 3 and 6, the arrangementstates or the numbers of data bits in the user data recording area andthe intermediate area substantially coincide in the re-recordableinformation storage medium and the read only area in the read onlyinformation storage medium (or recordable information storage medium),and only the size of the VFO area is different.

Effective Point

(a) Compatibility between the read only storage medium and therecordable information storage medium can be maintained. Because aprocessing circuit for reproducing can be used for both a read onlyinformation reproduction apparatus and a recordable informationrecording and reproduction apparatus, it is possible to make theapparatus low-cost.

(b) There is no need to form the current “border-out” area, and it ispossible to record or re-record in a unit of segment without carryingout “restricted overwrite”. Therefore, recording and re-recording atsmall units (segment units) in the recordable or re-recordableinformation storage medium can be carried out (because the areas inwhich unnecessary “border-out/border-in” information are recorded becomeunnecessary), the usage efficiency at the time of recording onto aninformation storage medium is improved.

[4] The user data recording area and the intermediate area, which arecontinuous in a unit of segment, are alternately arranged for therecordable information storage medium. The recording or re-recording ofthe user data is carried out in a unit of segment, and the recordingstart is carried out from a midway position of the above-describedintermediate area at the time of recording/re-recording. The recordingend processing is carried out at a midway position of the intermediatearea (which corresponds to the description shown in FIGS. 1D, 7B, 7C,11B, 11C, 12B, and 12D).

Effective Points

The recording head position which is the leading end of the continuousdata recording unit 110 and the recording end position which is thetrailing end of the continuous data recording unit 110 are within theVFO areas 312, and 331 to 335. The VFO areas exist outside of the userdata recording field 303 at which the physical sector data 5 isarranged. Thus, the destruction of user data in a case where therecording method in accordance with “restricted overwrite” is used asdescribed in (B), does not occur, and even if overwrite recording iscarried out many times, high reliability of the information within theuser data recording field 303 can be maintained.

[5] Address information, which is arranged discretely (dispersedlyinserted) into one data recording unit (segment) with respect to therecordable information storage medium, is recorded at plural places(corresponding to the description shown in FIGS. 1A to 2D).

In other words, a plurality of sectors, which contain one or more dataID 1 including the address information, are collected, so as to form onedata recording unit (segment).

Effective Points

(a) The recording efficiency improves.

(b) High speed of access is obtained.

Namely, even when reproduction starts from midway in the recording unit(one segment) for data recorded in recording units (segment units), theplace which is currently being reproduced can be detected by identifyingthe data ID information reproduced immediately after start ofreproduction. This enables a shortening of the total access time,because the time until the re-access processing is shortened.

[6] The recordable information storage medium has a structure in which arecordable recording area and an emboss area, such as a “lead-in” areaat which information is recorded in advance by minute convex and concaveconfigurations, exist within the same plane. The recordable datastructure in the recording area and the data structure of the datarecorded in advance in the emboss area have a data structure in whichthe user data recording areas and intermediate areas are arrangedalternately (the description shown in FIGS. 1A to 2D).

Effective Points

(a) In a recordable (including both a one time only recordable and are-recordable) information storage medium, the recorded data structurecoincides at the recordable recording area and the emboss area. Thus,the reproduction circuit which reproduces information from the recordingarea and the reproduction circuit which reproduces information from theemboss area can be used in common, and the reproduction circuit can besimplified and made lower cost.

(b) In a read only information storage medium, in the same way as with arecordable information storage medium, there are many cases in which a“lead-in” area is provided. By combining this point and the point of[3], the data structure at the “lead-in” area can be used in common forread only information storage media and recordable information storagemedia. As a result,

(a1) At an information reproduction apparatus which can reproduce datafrom both read only information storage media and recordable informationstorage media, the reproduction processing circuit for the “lead-in”area can be used in common for both information storage media. Theinformation reproduction apparatus can be simplified and made lowercost.

(b1) The structure of the “lead-in” area can be made the same for theread only information storage medium and the recordable informationstorage medium. Thus, not only the reproduction signal processingcircuit in the “lead-in” area, but also the track offset detectingmethod can be used in common. The media information is recorded in the“lead-in” area for a read only information storage medium (ROM disk),and an R disk which is a recordable information storage medium and canbe recorded only one time, and a re-recordable RAM disk. Thus, the datafrom the “lead-in” area is reproduced at a reproduction signalprocessing circuit common to a track offset detecting method common to adifferent type of information storage medium, and the mediaidentification information can be reproduced easily and reliably.

[Specific Explanation of the Embodiment]

Next, more specific explanation will be given with reference to thedrawings.

FIG. 1D shows an outline of the information storage medium 9.

In the recordable or re-recordable information storage medium 9, therecordable recording area and the emboss area such as a “lead-in” area320 or the like in which information is recorded in advance by minuteconvex and concave configurations, exist within the same plane.Identification information showing the type of the information storagemedium (e.g., a next-generation DVD-ROM, a next-generation DVD-R, anext-generation DVD-RW, a next-generation DVD-RAM) is recorded in the“lead-in” area 320.

The data structure for recording the data to the recording area and thedata structure of the data recorded in advance in the emboss area bothhave a data structure in which the user data recording areas and theintermediate areas are alternately arranged.

Thirty-two items of physical sector data 5 (FIG. 1B) are collected toform one ECC block 304 (FIG. 1A). The arrangement within the ECC blockis shown in FIGS. 13A to 13E, 14A to 14E, 15A to 15D, and 16A to 16C, asdescribed later.

Here, four items of physical sector data are arranged within one segmentarea 305, and form a user data recording field 303 (FIG. 1C).

Further, the intermediate area 301 exists in one segment area 305.

The size of the intermediate area 301 is an integer multiple (FIG. 2C)of a synchronous frame 308. A PA (Postamble) area 311, a VFO (VariableFrequency Oscillator) area 312, and a PS (Pre-Synchronous code) area 313exist within the intermediate area 301, as shown in FIG. 2B.

Information of SY0 or SY4 to be described later is recorded in the PAarea 311, as shown in FIG. 2A. Information of SY0 or SY5, in-ECCposition information 314 or 315, and the error detection code 316 or 317thereof are recorded in the PS area 313, as shown in FIG. 2A.

FIGS. 1A to 2D show the structure of the read only information storagemedium or the read only area within the recording medium. The structureis made to substantially coincide with the data structure of therecording area at a recordable or re-recordable information storagemedium.

As the data structure of the recording area, data recording orre-recording in a unit of segment area 305 is possible. As shown in FIG.2D, recording can start from a midway position of the intermediate area301 a, and recording can end at a midway position of the intermediatearea 301 b.

FIG. 3 is a diagram in which the data structure within the segment area305 shown in FIG. 1C is redrawn so as to be easily understood.

In a next-generation DVD-ROM, VFO area 312, PS area 313, and PA area 311are arranged in one segment of data 305 such that the total of thesynchronous frames within one segment area 305 becomes one synchronousframe size (a fixed length). Four items of continuous information (datasize of one sector 5 is 2048 bytes) are in the data field 303 of FIG. 3,and form one segment of data 305. For each segment of the data, VFO area312 and PS area 313 are arranged immediately therebefore, and PA area311 is arranged immediately thereafter.

The functions or effects of the data structure of the present embodimentshown in FIGS. 1A to 3 will be explained by using FIGS. 4 and 5.

In the data structure of current DVD-ROM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW, there is nointermediate area 301 as in the present embodiment. In the datastructure of current DVD-ROM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW, one ECC block comprises16 items of physical sector data 5. One ECC block occupies a position321 on the information storage medium at which data is arranged.

Further, the position within one physical sector data 5 is detected fromthe information contents of the synchronous code 110, and the positionis detected from the ID information recorded at the head position of thephysical sector data 5. Data access control is thereby possible.

An access control method for current DVD-ROM and DVD-R/RW is shown inFIG. 4.

(a-1) First, rough access to an estimated position on the informationstorage medium 9 is carried out, and data reproduction at the accessedposition started by an information recording and reproduction section 41(FIG. 28).

(a-2) The position of the synchronous code 110 is detected, and the headposition of the physical sector data is detected.

(a-3) The in-ECC block position 321 is indexed from the data ID 1 (orID) information within the physical sector data 5.

(a-4) The position of the next synchronous code 110 is detected, and thedata ID 1 (or ID) information is read, and thereafter,

(a-5) the operation of (a-4) is repeated until the next ECC block headposition.

As a result, (a-6) the information recording and reproduction section 41accesses the next ECC block head position on the information storagemedium 9, and information reproduction and error correction are startedtherefrom. In this sway, currently, there is the need to alwaysreproduce the physical sector data information (data ID 1) until thehead position of the ECC block, which starts informationreproduction/error correction, is accessed.

As in the present embodiment, as explained in FIGS. 24 to 31, when thedata ID 1 (or ID) information is scrambled, the following problemoccurs. Namely, at the time of reproduction, if the scrambled data ID 1(or ID) information is descrambled, even more time is required until thehead position of the ECC block is accessed. Namely, the problem arisesthat the access time becomes even slower.

In contrast, in the method of the present embodiment, plural items ofphysical sector data 5 are gathered to form the segment area 305, andaccess control is carried out by using the segment area 305 as a unit.Thus, access processing is easy, and the access time is shortened.

The structure of the information recording and reproduction apparatus orinformation reproduction apparatus in the present embodiment is shown inFIGS. 28 and 29. Details of the information reproduction apparatus willbe described later.

The access processing method for the data structure of the presentembodiment shown in FIG. 5 is shown in FIGS. 32 to 37.

When an instruction of a data range to be reproduced is received fromthe interface section 42 (ST31), the value of the data ID 1 within thephysical sector data 5 having the reproduction head position of the ECCblock 304 is calculated (ST32). At the information recording andreproduction section 41, reproduction is started from theroughly-accessed position (ST33).

At the information recording and reproduction section 41, data in whichis mixed in the intermediate area 301 having the PA area 311 at the head(FIG. 2B), is reproduced. The reproduced data is supplied as is to async code position extracting section 45 (ST34). At the sync codeposition extracting section 45, the order of alignment of the codes foridentifying the synchronous frame position, or the pattern of SY4 isdirectly detected, and the position of the PA area 311 is detected. Theplace of the intermediate area 301 is detected from the results thereof(ST35).

FIGS. 32 to 34 show a method for accessing by using only information ofthe PA area 311. FIGS. 35 to 37 show a method of accessing using alsothe in-ECC position information 314 or 315 within the PS area 313.

As shown in FIGS. 32 to 34, when accessing by using only the informationof the PA area 311, the data of the physical sector data 45-28 (FIG. 5),which is a scrambled state and arranged immediately after theintermediate area 301, is given to a demodulation circuit 52. Thedemodulated data is supplied to a descrambling circuit 58 (ST36).

The physical sector data 45-28 is descrambled within the descramblingcircuit 58. The data ID 1-0 existing at the head position, and the dataIED 2-0 (FIG. 14C) information (information after descrambling) aresupplied to the ID and IDE extracting section 71 (ST37). At the errorchecking section 72 of the data ID, by using the information of theIDE2, it is checked whether or not there is an error in the detecteddata ID 1 (ST38, ST39).

When there is an error, at the ECC decoding circuit 162, the data ID 1after error correction processing is extracted (ST40 a). Within thecontrol section 43, the amount of difference with the address at whichit is desired to start reproduction is calculated by using the data ID1. This difference amount determines whether the current track positionis greatly deviated from the desired track position (ST40 b). When thereis no error in step ST39, the routine moves directly to step ST40 b.

If the above-described difference amount is large, a difference betweenthe value of data ID 1 of the results of reproduction and the value ofdata ID 1 of the sector at which start of reproduction is planned, isobtained. The track offset amount on the information storage medium 9 iscalculated within the control section 143, and dense access is carriedout on the basis of the results thereof (ST41).

Namely, the data ID 1 information of the physical sector data 45-28 isdetected, and the position within the ECC block is detected. Namely, atthe descrambling circuit 58, the data ID 1 portion within the physicalsector data 45-28 in a scrambled state is descrambled, and the positionwithin the ECC block is indexed (ST36). At this time, when thedifference between the detected value of data ID 1 and the value, whichis desired to be accessed and is indexed in ST32, is great (ST40 b),dense access is carried out again (ST41).

In step ST40 b, when it is clear that there is no great track offset,the routine moves on to step ST42. Immediately after the detected valueof data ID 1, the control section 43 calculates how many segments thevalue indexed in step ST32 (showing the place desired to be reached) isafter the current position. This after position corresponds to thephysical sector data 45-32 of the head of the next ECC block 322 b(ST42). Next, the control section 43 confirms (ST43) that the segmenthas passed by the number of segments 305 calculated in step ST42, whilethe information recording and reproduction section 41 always monitorsthe intermediate area within the passing information storage medium 9 bythe methods of steps ST34 and ST35. Namely, the information recordingand reproduction section 41 passes by a number of segments, which numberis the calculated number (or ST43).

When the information recording and reproduction section 41 reaches thehead position of the desired ECC block 322 b, in the reproduction data,the intermediate area 301 is deleted, and only the data within the userdata recording field 303 is successively supplied to the demodulationcircuit 52, the ECC decoding circuit 62, and the descrambling circuit59. At a main data extracting section 73, the user data is extracted andis supplied to the exterior via the interface section 42 (ST44).

FIGS. 35 to 37 show the processes in a case of accessing a desiredposition by using the in-ECC position information 314 and 315 of the PSarea 313. Processes from step ST31 to step ST35 are the same as in thecase of FIGS. 32 to 34.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 35 or FIG. 5, when access is carried out byusing the in-ECC position information 314 or 315 of the PS area 313within the ECC block, the position of the PA area 311 is indexed, andthe place of the intermediate area 301 is detected from the resultsthereof (ST35). Next, the position information 314 or 315 of the PS area313 within the ECC block is read, and the current position of theintermediate area within the ECC block 304 is searched for (ST51).

Next, it is determined whether or not the corresponding intermediatearea 301 is the head position of the ECC block (ST52). As this method,the information of the PS area 313 positioned at the rear portion isdetected. It is determined whether the head information of the PS area313 is SY0 or SY5 (ST52).

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, when the head information is SY5, it isknown that the intermediate area 301 exists at the head of the ECCblock. Further, if the head information is SY0, the in-ECC positioninformation 315 immediately thereafter is detected, and it is determinedwhich position within the ECC block 304 the corresponding segment is at.

When the corresponding intermediate area 301 is not at the head positionof the ECC block, by the processings of steps ST34 to ST51, it waitsuntil the intermediate area 301 arranged at the head position of the ECCblock 304 is reproduced (ST53).

In actuality, what segments must be passed until the head position ofthe next ECC block 322 b is calculated, and the information recordingand reproduction section 41 is made to pass in the tracking direction bythe calculated segment number (ST53). This portion is a different pointof the processings shown in FIGS. 32 to 34, and in FIGS. 35 to 37.

When the corresponding intermediate area 301 is at the head position ofthe ECC block, the data of the physical sector data 45-32 in thescrambled state at the head position of the ECC block 322 b is suppliedto the demodulation circuit 52 and demodulated. The demodulated data issupplied to the descrambling circuit 58. This processing is obtained onthe basis of control of the control section 43 (ST54).

From steps ST37 to ST41, the processes are the same as the processesshown in FIGS. 32 to 34. In step ST55 which is executed after step ST40b, the processings from step ST33 to step ST40 b are executed, and theaccess position reaches the position of the physical sector data 45-32which is the head position of the ECC block 304 determined in step ST32.After the access position has reached the desired position, the routinemoves on to step ST44.

The data arrangement structure of the one segment area of FIG. 3 whichis described previously is a structure of a read only area. In contrast,FIG. 6 shows the data arrangement structure of one segment area in arecordable area or a re-recordable area.

The data structure of a recordable next-generation DVD-R or are-recordable next-generation DVD-RAM basically follows the structure ofFIG. 3. Accordingly, in the same way as the example shown in FIG. 3, theVFO area 312, the PS area 313, the user data recording field 303, andthe PA area 311 are included in one segment area. However, at the onesegment area of FIG. 6, the size of the VOF area differs due to theembodiment. Namely, the size of the VFO area differs due to theembodiment.

For example, FIGS. 7A to 7D and 11A to 11D show an example of a methodof recording user data on a recordable area or a re-recordable area.Here, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, a gap 111 (MirrorField) exists between the VFO areas 331 and 332. Further, in theembodiment shown in FIGS. 11A to 11D, the gap 111 (Mirror Field) existsimmediately before the VFO area 333. Namely, in the embodiment of FIGS.11A to 11D, it means that the VFO area size immediately after the PAarea 311 is “0”, and the gap 111 is arranged immediately after the PAarea 311. The gap 111 is provided, and the effects of fluctuations inthe recording end position due to irregular rotation of the spindlemotor can be removed.

FIGS. 8 and 9 shows the method of recording the user data shown in FIGS.7A to 7D, and the relationship with the physical structure of theinformation storage medium. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the recordingarea is a structure in which a meandering (wobbling) continuous groove(pregroove) is provided in a spiral shape, and recording marks 127 areformed on the continuous groove (pregroove).

At the recordable information storage medium or the re-recordableinformation storage medium 9, there is formed a mark 141 for showing therecording head position of the continuous recording unit 110 which isthe unit of the segment area 305 along the continuous groove(pregroove). A wobbling pattern different than that of a general wobblegroove area 143 is formed in advance for the mark 141. Further, in thepresent embodiment, the pattern differs due to the position within theECC block. Namely, the pattern at the head position and at the non-headposition of the ECC block changes, and therefore, it is a structure inwhich the ECC block head position can be detected at an even higherspeed. Further, a recording preparation area 142 of a length of a wobbleperiod determined in advance, exists adjacent to the mark 141 forrecording head positioning.

When recording starts at the continuous data recording unit 110, first,after the mark 141 for recording head positioning is detected, recordingis started after a wobble detection signal is counted for the length ofthe recording preparation area 142.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in a next-generation recordable DVD-R or anext-generation re-recordable DVD-RAM, recording of the segment unit ispossible from immediately after the gap 111. The gap 111 divides thephase offset between the phase of recorded data and subsequent recordingdata to be recorded by recording processing to be carried outthereafter, and functions to eliminate the effects of phase offsetbetween the before and after data processings. As a result, recording ina unit of segment is possible without recording “border-in” and“border-out” data at the next-generation DVD-R.

In the above-described method, the recording head position of thecontinuous data recording unit 110 is fixed. However, as shown in FIGS.10A and 10B, there are cases when the actual length of a continuous datarecording unit 110 a changes due to irregular rotation of the spindlemotor rotating the information storage medium 9, and crosses over thegap 111 and a data overlap portion 116 is generated. Even when the dataoverlap portion 116 (FIG. 10B) is generated in this way, in the presentembodiment, the data of the user data area 303 is not destroyed. This isbecause, as shown in FIG. 6, the VFO area 312 is always arranged at thehead of the segment area 305 (the overlap area 116 is set so as toalways be contained within the VFO area 312).

Another embodiment of the present invention which permits the dataoverlap portion 116 in the worst case as shown in FIG. 10B, is shown inFIGS. 12A to 12E.

As shown in FIG. 12B, the sizes of the VFO areas 334 and 335 are set tobe large in advance, and a VFO overlap area 338 (FIG. 12C) is arrangedso as to exist even when there is no irregular rotation of the spindlemotor. FIG. 12B shows the positional relationship of the time axisdirection between data already recorded and data to be newly recorded orre-recorded. Data is newly recorded or re-recorded in this way, and aportion of the VFO area is overlappingly recorded. In this way, the datastructure of the present embodiment can be made to coincide with thedata structure of a read only area which dose not have the gap 111. Thismeans that the data of the read only area and the recordable orre-recordable area can be reproduced by the same reproduction circuit.

FIGS. 38 and 39 show the method of recording or re-recording in a unitof segment on the recording-type or re-recording-type informationstorage medium 9.

The recording-type or re-recording-type information storage medium 9 inthe present embodiment employs a CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) method.Thus, the angle of the recording position at the segment unit differs inthe radial direction of the information storage medium 9.

Accordingly, when a designation of the recording position is received(ST11), the angular position in the rotation direction of the mark 141for recording head positioning shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 must be estimated(ST12). Further, since information of the PS area 313 and the PA area311 shown in FIG. 6 is not included in the information inputted from theinterface section 42, this data is prepared in a sync code selectingsection 47 (ST14).

After rough access, it is determined whether or not the mark 141 forrecording head positioning is detected at the estimated angular positionon the information storage medium 9 (ST16). On the basis of theseresults, it is determined whether or not the information reproductionposition of the reproduction apparatus has reached the estimated track.

As shown in FIG. 9, the wobble pattern of the pregroove differs due tothe position within the ECC block. Thus, the difference in the wobblepattern is detected, and the head position of the ECC block isdetermined (ST21), and preparations for recording processing are carriedout. After the information recording and reproduction section 41 haspassed the final end portion of the mark 141 for recording headpositioning on the information storage medium 9, the number of wobbleswithin the recording preparation area 142 is counted, and preparationsfor recording processing are carried out (ST17). Here, when it haspassed the wobble by a predetermined count number, immediatelythereafter, recording is carried out for each segment unit (ST18).

It is determined whether or not recording is completed (ST19), and whenrecording is not completed, the routine returns to step ST16. Ifrecording is completed, the routine moves on to step ST20.

As shown in FIGS. 20A to 20C, the patterns of the PA area 311 and the PSarea 313 within the intermediate area 301 are set by a synchronouspattern different than the synchronous code 110 within the physicalsector data 5 (see FIGS. 13A to 13E, 14A to 14E, and 15A to 15C). Asshown in FIG. 20C, as the synchronous frame position number 115, SY0 toSY3 are used as the synchronous code 110 within the physical sector data5.

As shown FIG. 2A, SY0 or SY4 is used as the pattern of the PA area 311.Further, when the segment is at the head position of the ECC block, thepattern of SY5 is used as the pattern of the head position of the PSarea 313, and when the segment is at a non-head position, the pattern ofSY0 is used.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21B, the specificpattern contents of SY0 to SY3, coincide with the contents shown in FIG.20C. In the synchronous code arranging method shown in FIGS. 21A to 21C,SY0 is arranged only at one place within one physical sector data 5, andis arranged at the head position of the same physical sector data 5. Inthis way, there is the effect that the head position of the physicalsector data 5 can be easily known merely by detecting SY0. Further, ascompared with a conventional DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM, thenumber of synchronous patterns can be reduced to four types which areSY0 to SY3, and the position detecting processing within the physicalsector data 5 using the pattern of the synchronous code is simplified.

Further, as shown in FIG. 21C, the synchronous frame 308, which is adata size combining the synchronous code 110 and the synchronous framedata 106 after modulation, is always constant and is 116 channel bits.The fixed-length synchronous frame 308 and the data size of theintermediate area 301 coincide with each other.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, combinations ofthree continuous synchronous codes 110 arbitrarily extracted in FIG. 21Aall differ in accordance with the position within the same physicalsector data. By using this technique, it is possible to extract not onlythe position within the same physical sector data 5 using the order ofalignment of each synchronous code 110 including the PA area 311, butalso the position of the intermediate area 301.

An example of the position detecting method is shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.For example, as shown in FIG. 23, when the order of alignment ofSY1→SY3→SY1 is detected, it can be found, from the order of alignmentshown in FIG. 21B, that the modulated synchronous frame data immediatelyafter SY1 is 106-6. Further, when SY0→SY0→SY1, i.e., SY0 continuecontinuously two times, it is found, from FIG. 2A or FIGS. 20A to 20C,that the initial SY0 belongs to the intermediate area 301. Further, whenSY4→SYD→SY1, i.e., the pattern SY4 which cannot exist within thephysical sector data 5 are detected, without investigating theconnection of the three patterns, it can immediately be determined thatSY4 shows the pattern of the PA area 311 within the intermediate area301.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 13A to 13E, FIGS. 14A to 14E, and FIGS.15A to FIG. 31, explanation will be given of the ECC block (FIGS. 13A to16C), the synchronous frame structure within one physical sector data(FIGS. 17A to 19D), the synchronous code 110 (FIG. 20A), the arrangementexample of the synchronous codes within one physical sector (FIG. 21A),and the method of indexing the synchronous frame position within onephysical sector data, from the order of alignment of the synchronousframe position identifying code within the synchronous code (FIGS. 22and 23).

Further, another example of a common data structure recorded on theinformation storage medium (FIGS. 24, 25, 26, and 27), the structure ofa recording system of the information recording and reproductionapparatus (FIG. 28), the structure of a reproduction system of theinformation recording and reproduction apparatus (FIG. 29), the internalstructure of the scrambling circuit (FIG. 30), and the internalstructure of the descrambling circuit (FIG. 31) will be described.

The array of the physical sector data 5-0, 5-1, . . . of the informationstorage medium 9 shown in FIG. 1C is shown in FIG. 13D. One physicalsector data includes data 0-0-0, 0-0-1, 0-0-2, . . . as a plurality ofrows, and inner-code parities PI 0-0-0, PI 0-0-1, PI 0-0-2, . . . addedto the respective rows, and an outer-code parity PO 0-0 added to thenext one row after the twelve rows. The other physical sector data havesimilar data structures. Here, the above-described respective physicalsectors are defined as sectors corresponding to logical sectorinformation 103-0, 103-1, 103-3, . . . as shown in FIGS. 13B to 13D.Moreover, the logical sector information is defined as informationcorresponding to one video pack or audio pack, as shown in FIGS. 13A to13C. FIG. 13A shows a pack array of video pack 101 a, audio pack 102 a,. . . , and the like. FIG. 13B shows logical sector information 103-0,103 a-1, 103-2, . . . corresponding to the respective packs.

The contents of the data shown in FIG. 13C is described more detail inFIGS. 14A to 14E. The data 0-0-0 is data corresponding to the first row.The data 0-0-1 corresponds to the next row.

FIG. 14C shows the state in which one logical sector information 103-0is scrambled, and the scrambled logical sector information is dividedinto information of 12 rows, and PI information is added to each row (12rows in this example). Data ID, IED, CPR_MAI are added to the first row.Further, the final row (the 13^(th) row) of the logical sector is POinformation.

FIGS. 15A to 15C and 16A to 16C show the relationship between thephysical sector data and the ECC blocks. The ECC block is a unit towhich an error correction code is added when data is recorded at theinformation storage medium 9, and is a unit used when data is reproducedfrom the information storage medium 9 and error correction is carriedout.

The data array shown in FIG. 15A (corresponding to FIG. 14E and FIG. 1B)shows a state in which it is organized as an ECC block. Every otherphysical sector data is selected, and is allocated to a first small ECCblock 7-0 and a second small ECC block 7-1 (see FIGS. 16A to 16C).

With this example, one physical sector data is formed from 13 rows.Among these, one row is the portion of the PO information. Therespective rows of the ECC block are-recorded as data 0-0-0, 0-0-1,0-0-2, . . . One small ECC block is formed from 31 physical sector data.The 62 physical sector data (the two small ECC blocks) are, for example,divided into even-numbered sector data and odd-numbered sector data. POinformation is prepared for each of the blocks by the even-numberedsector data and the blocks by the odd-numbered sector data. The POinformation is prepared in units of 1 ECC block organized by a pluralityof physical data, and are dispersed one row by one row at the respectivephysical sectors. Namely, the PO information of 31 rows is prepared insmall ECC block units, and the PO information is dispersed one row byone row at the 31 data blocks. One data block contains data of 12 rows.

FIGS. 17A to 17D, 18A to 18C, and 19A to 19D are diagrams explaining thestructure of a synchronous frame within one physical sector data.

The sector block (corresponding to data of 13 rows (including the onerow of PO information) shown in FIG. 17C is divided into synchronousframe data 105-0, 105-1, . . . (there are 26 (13×2) altogether), asshown in FIG. 17D. A synchronous code to be described later is addedbetween the synchronous frame data. Namely, a synchronous code is addedto the head of each synchronous frame data.

Namely, as shown FIGS. 18A and 18B, a synchronous code 110 is insertedbetween the synchronous frame data 106. As shown in FIG. 19C, thesynchronous code 110 is formed from, for example, a variable code area112, a fixed code area 111, and a variable code area 113. Each area hascontents such as shown in FIG. 19D.

A description of the data structure is as follows.

As shown in FIG. 17A, image data is recorded on the information storagemedium 9 in the form of video pack 101 and audio pack 102 in 2048-byteunits. The 2048-byte recording unit is treated as logical sectorinformation 103, as shown in FIG. 17B.

In current DVD specifications, data ID 1-0, IED 2-0, CPR_MAI 8-0 areadded to this data. Data, to which is added PI (Parity of Inner-code)information and PO (Parity of Outer-code) information corresponding tothe ECC structure shown in FIGS. 16A to 16C, is equally divided into 26portions, so as to form synchronous frame data 105-0 to 105-25, as shownin FIG. 17D. In this case, the PO information also is divided in two. Asshown in FIG. 17C, the PO information is divided in two and shows as PO0-0-0 and PO 0-0-1.

Each synchronous frame data 105 is modulated, and as shown in FIG. 19A,synchronization codes 110 are inserted between the modulated synchronousframe data 106. The method of modulation is generally expressed by (d,k;m,n). These letters mean that original data of m bits is converted inton channel bits, and the number of continuous “0”s is d (at minimum) andk (at maximum).

The present embodiment shows a case where the modulation method shown inU.S. Pat. No. 6,300,886 is employed. In this modulation method,

d=1, k=9, m=4, and n=6.

The synchronization code 110 is divided into the fixed code area 111 andthe variable code areas 112 and 113, and the variable code areas 112 and113 are structured so as to be more finely divided into a recordingposition of a conversion table selection code 122 at modulation, arecording position of a synchronous frame position identifying code 123,and a recording position of a DC suppressing polarity reversing pattern124 (partially including combination/sharing of recording positions), asshown in FIG. 19D.

Modulation here means converting input data into modulation data inaccordance with the above-described modulation rule. In this case, forthe conversion processing, a method is used of selecting modulation datacorresponding to the input data, from among the large number ofmodulation data recorded in the conversion table. Here, a plurality ofconversion tables are prepared. Accordingly, information, expressingthat the modulation data is modulation data converted by using whichtable at the time of modulation, is needed. This information is theconversion table selection code 122 at modulation. This shows theconversion table which generates the modulation data which will comenext of the modulation data immediately before the synchronization code.

The synchronous frame position identifying code 123 is a code foridentifying the frame of which position within the physical sector isthe synchronous frame. In order to identify the frame, the frame can beidentified by an arrangement pattern of a plurality of synchronous frameposition identifying codes before and after.

An example of specific contents of the synchronous position detectingcode 121 is shown in FIGS. 20A to 20C.

A code, which cannot exist within the synchronous frame data 106 aftermodulation, is arranged within the synchronous position detecting code121 in order to facilitate detection of the position of the synchronouscode 110. Because the modulated synchronous frame data 106 is modulatedin accordance with the (d,k; m,n) modulation rule, it is not possiblethat k+1 “0”s are continuous within the modulated data. Accordingly, itis preferable to provide a pattern, in which k+1 or more “0”s arecontinuous, as the pattern within the synchronous position detectingcode 121.

However, if a pattern, in which k+1 or more “0”s are continuous, isprovided as the pattern within the synchronous position detecting code121, at the time of reproduction of the modulated synchronous frame data106, when one bit shift error arises, there is the fear that it will bemisdetected as the synchronous position detecting code 121. Accordingly,it is preferable to provide a pattern, in which k+2 “0”s are continuous,as the pattern within the synchronous position detecting code 121.However, if the pattern in which the “0”s are continuous continues fortoo long, a phase offset at the PLL circuit 174 easily arises.

In current DVDs, a pattern in which k+3 “0”s are continuous is utilized(the modulation rule for current DVDs is (2,10; 8,16). Accordingly, inorder to suppress the occurrence of bit shift errors and ensure thereliability of synchronous code position detection and informationreproduction more than in current DVDs, the length by which “0”s arecontinuous in the present embodiment must be k+3 or less, and preferablyk+2.

As is shown in FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,459 and the explanatorydescription thereof, the DSV (Digital Sum Value) value changes due tothe modulated bit pattern. If the DSV value is greatly offset from 0,the DSV value can be made to approach 0 by changing the bit from “0” to“1” at the optimal bit pattern position.

Accordingly, the DC suppressing polarity reversing pattern 124, having aspecific pattern for making the DSV value approach 0, is provided withinthe synchronous code 110.

Further, when the modulation method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,886 isused, the following must be considered. Namely, demodulation of the 6channel bits which are the object of demodulation must be carried out byusing the “selection information of the conversion table used whenmodulating the 6-channel bit modulated data” existing immediately afterthe 6-channel bit modulated data which is the object of demodulation.

Accordingly, the selection information of the conversion table of the 6channel bits which should come after the final 6 channel bits of themodulated synchronous frame data 106 arranged immediately before thesynchronous code 110, are recorded within the “conversion tableselection code 122 at modulation” of the head within the synchronouscode 110. Namely, the conversion table selection code 122 at modulationexists within the synchronous code 110.

This conversion table selection code 122 at modulation is conversiontable selection information for the 6 channel bits which should comeafter the final 6 channel bits of the immediately previous modulatedsynchronous frame data 106. By referring to this conversion tableinformation, the conversion table which should be used can be determinedat the time of demodulating the next data.

Next, a specific example of the synchronous code 110 will be described.

FIGS. 20A to 20C show a specific example of the synchronous code 110.The synchronous code 110 has the variable code area 112 and the fixedcode area 111. In the variable code area 112 is arranged the datastructure shown in FIGS. 19A to 19D in which the conversion tableselection code 122 at modulation, the synchronous frame positionidentifying code 123, and the DC suppressing polarity reversing pattern124 are integral.

For example, 0 to 5 are prepared as numbers for synchronous frameposition identification. The numbers 0 to 5 correspond to the syncs YS0to YS5. In order to express the modulation table selection code at thetime of modulation, a conversion table number 116 is prepared. For thepattern when the conversion table number=1 and the pattern when theconversion table number=0, the respective cases are broadly classifiedand patterns A and B for DC suppression are prepared.

For example, with this example, when 8 channel bits are allotted and thesynchronous frame expresses synchronous frame SY0, “10000000”, or“10000000”, or “00010000”, or “00010010” exists as the synchronous code.This means that, when it is “10000000”, conversion table number=0 isused, and when it is “00010000” or “00010010”, conversion table number=1is used. This synchronization pattern is selected and used in accordancewith the DSV.

For example, 16 channel bits are allotted, and the synchronous positiondetecting code 121 is “1000000000000100”.

The mode of selection of the synchronization pattern used in theintermediate area 301 is explained with reference to FIG. 1C.

Namely, according to the present embodiment, a synchronous pattern,which is different from the synchronous code 110 within the physicalsector data 5, is set as the synchronous pattern of the PA area 311 andthe PS area 313 within the intermediate area 301. As shown in FIG. 20C,as the synchronous frame position number 115, SY0 to SY3 are used as thesynchronous code 110 within the physical sector data 5.

As shown in FIG. 2A, SY0 or SY4 is used as the synchronous pattern ofthe PA area 311. Further, as the head pattern of the PS area 313, thepattern of SY5 is used when the corresponding segment is the headposition of the ECC block, and the pattern of SY0 is used when it is notthe head position.

FIGS. 21A to 21C show an arrangement example of the synchronous codewithin one physical sector data.

The synchronous code is 24 channel bits as the total of the synchronouspattern of the 8 channel bits and the synchronous position detectingcode 121 of 6 channel bits, as described previously. One row of themodulated synchronous frame data is 1092 channel bits. FIG. 21B makes iteasy to see the synchronous code position, by rearranging the modulatedframe data 106-0, 106-1, . . . in a matrix form, within the data arrayof FIG. 21A (the same as the data array of FIG. 19A). The channel bitlength of the synchronous code and modulated synchronous frame data issynchronous frame 308 (a fixed length of 116 channel bits) (this stateis shown in FIG. 2C as well).

The specific pattern contents of SY0 to SY3 shown in FIG. 21B areselected from the pattern shown in FIG. 20C. According to thesynchronous code arranging method shown in FIG. 21B, SY0 is arrangedonly at one place within 1 physical sector data 5, and is arranged atthe head position of the same physical sector data 5.

In this way, there is the effect that, by merely detecting SY0, the headposition of the physical sector data 5 can easily be known. Further, thenumber of the synchronous pattern is reduced to the four types which areSY0 to SY3, as compared with a current DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, andDVD-RAM, and position detection processing within the physical sectordata 5 can be carried out by using the pattern of the synchronous code.Thus, the position detecting processing is simplified.

Further, as shown in FIG. 21C, the synchronous frame 308, which is adata size combining the synchronous code 110 and the modulatedsynchronous frame data 106, is always constant and is 1116 channel bits.Further, the fixed-length synchronous frame 308 and the data size of theintermediate area 301 coincide with each other.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23, explanation will be given ofthe method of detecting the synchronous code and determining at whatposition within the physical sector the currently reproduced data is at.

As shown in FIG. 22, the modulated synchronous data reproduced by theinformation recording and reproduction section 41 from the informationstorage medium is supplied to the synchronous code position extractingsection 45, and is made to be the object of synchronous code positiondetection. At the synchronous position extracting section 45, theposition of the synchronous position detecting code 121 (the code of thefixed code area in FIG. 20A) is detected by, for example, a patternmatching method.

In this way, the synchronous code position can be detected, and thesynchronous code can be extracted. The information of the detectedsynchronous code 110 is, via the control section 43, successively heldin a memory section 137 as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. When the positionof the synchronous code 110 is known, the position of the modulatedsynchronous frame data is also known. Therefore, the synchronous framedata is successively stored in the shift register circuit 170 as shownin FIG. 22.

By inspecting the order of alignment of the synchronous code, it can bedetermined at what position of the matrix system of FIG. 21B themodulated synchronous frame data is at. This is because the synchronouscode is arranged in the pattern shown in FIG. 21B(SY0→SY1→SY1→SY1→SY2→SY1→SY1→SY3→SY1→SY2→SY2→SY1→SY3→SY2→SY1→SY2→SY3→SY3→SY3→SY2→SY2→SY2→SY3→SY2→SY3→SY1).

Combinations of three continuous synchronous codes 110 arbitrarilyextracted in FIG. 23 all differ in accordance with the position withinthe same physical sector data. By using this feature, it is possible toextract not only the data position within the same physical sector data5 using the order of alignment of each synchronous code 110 includingthe PA area 311, but also the data position within the intermediate area301.

An example of the position detecting method is shown in FIG. 22. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 23, when the order of alignment of SY1→SY3→SY1is detected, it can be known, from the order of alignment shown in FIG.21B, that the modulated synchronous frame data immediately after SY1 is106-6.

Further, when SY0→SY0→SY1 is detected, i.e., SY0 continue continuouslytwo times, it is known that the agreement shown in FIG. 2A, or theinitial SY0 from the information of FIG. 20C, belongs to theintermediate area 301. Further, when SY4→SY0→SY1 is detected, i.e., SY4which cannot exist within the physical sector data 5 is detected,without investigating the connection of the three patterns, it canimmediately be determined that SY4 shows the pattern of the PA area 311within the intermediate area 301.

Further, when the order of alignment of SY0→SY1→SY1 is detected, it isknown, from the order of alignment shown in FIG. 21B, that the modulatedsynchronous frame data immediately after SY0 is 106-1.

Next, another example of the pre-modulation sector data being scrambledwill be shown.

Description will be given with the physical sector data being scrambledas shown in FIGS. 13A to 13E and 14A to 14E. In the example shown inFIG. 14C, data ID, IDE, CPR_MAI of the head of the physical sector dataare shown as not being scrambled.

However, as shown in FIG. 24, all of data ID 1, IED 2, specific data(e.g., data type 3, preset data 4), and main data (including EDC) may besubjected to scrambling processing.

In the example of FIG. 24, specific data (e.g., data type 3, preset data4) is used as the initial data for executing the scrambling. Thespecific data is extracted from the main data (sector data). Theextracted specific data is used as is as the initial value (or trigger)of the scrambling circuit, and scrambling processing is carried out, andall of the main data (sector data) are scrambled. The scrambled data ismodulated in accordance with a predetermined modulation rule, and then,the above-described synchronous code is added. Data, for which thisprocessing is carried out, is recorded onto the re-recordableinformation storage medium 21.

FIG. 25 is an example in which the aforementioned specific data isreplaced by CPR_MAI (copyright managing information) 8 a. This isbecause, at a DVD-ROM, this CPR_MAI is used at the portion of thespecific data. Other processings are the same as the example of FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is for explanation of the processes in the reproductionprocessing corresponding to the recording processing of FIG. 24. Thedata reproduced from the re-recordable information storage medium 21 isformed from the synchronous codes 19 a, 19 b, 19 c, . . . andpre-demodulated data 15 a, 15 b, 15 c, . . . As described previously,the synchronous codes and the pre-modulated data are separated, and thepre-modulated data is collected. The collected pre-modulated data isdemodulated in accordance with a predetermined demodulation rule, and iscollected as data 17 which is scrambled as is. As explained in FIG. 24,the specific data is scrambled and contained in the data 17. Thisscrambled specific data is extracted from a predetermined positionarranged in advance. The descrambling section uses the specific datascrambled as is, and descrambles the data 17 scrambled as is as shown inFIG. 26. Due to the descrambling processing, it is made to be data whichis the same as the data shown in FIG. 24 (the original data isreproduced).

FIG. 27 is for explanation of the processings in the reproductionprocessing corresponding to the recording processing of FIG. 25. In thisexample, the aforementioned specific data is merely replaced by CPR_MAI(copyright managing information) 8 a. This is because, at a DVD-ROM,this CPR_MAI is used at the portion of the specific data. Otherprocessings are the same as the example of FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 shows blocks relating to the recording system in particular, inan information recording and reproduction apparatus. This is a blockdiagram explaining the structure of an information recording system withrespect to a re-recordable information storage medium or a read onlyinformation storage medium.

Main data for recording (source data or user data) is supplied to apredetermined information adding section 68 via the interface section42. At the predetermined information adding section 68, the source datais finely divided in a unit of sector, and the finely divided sourcedata is array-stored in the main data 6 portion of FIG. 24 or FIG. 25.

When the medium used in recording is the re-recordable informationmedium 21, at the predetermined information adding section 68, the ID 1,IED 2, data type 3, present data 4, and reserve area 5 of that sectorare added before the main data 6 portion, and the EDC 7 is added afterthe main data 6 portion. The ID 1 added at this time is obtained from adata ID generating section 65, and the preset data 4 is obtained form apreset data generating section 66. The preset data generating section 66has a “random number generating function”, and can always generate atime-varying random number as the preset data 4. Note that the presetdata generating section 66 can also separately generate the lower n bitsof the preset data, and sends them to the synchronous code selectingsection 46 as one portion of the generated lower n bit synchronous codeselection key.

On the other hand, when the medium used in recording is the read onlyinformation medium 22, at the predetermined information adding section68, the ID 1, the IED 2, and the copyright managing information 8 (8 aand 8 b) of that sector are added before the main data 6 portion, andthe EDC 7 is added after the main data 6 portion. The ID 1 added at thistime is obtained from the data ID generating section 65, and thecopyright managing information 8 (8 a and 8 b) is obtained from acopyright managing information data generating section 67. Note that thecopyright managing information data generating section 67 can alsoseparately generate the lower n bits of the copyright managinginformation, and sends them to the synchronous code selecting section 46as one portion of the generated lower n bit synchronous code selectionkey.

Note that, in the present embodiment, the “n” of the lower n bits isselected from the range of 1 to 8 bits.

The sector data of the data structured shown in FIG. 24 generated at thepredetermined information adding section 68 is supplied to a dataarrangement portion exchanging section (or data extracting section) 63.The data arrangement portion exchanging section 63 extracts the specificdata form the sector data which is supplied in.

The extracted specific data and the entire sector data are supplied to ascrambling circuit 57. The scrambling circuit 57 carries out samplingprocessing on the entire sector data from the sector head to the sectortail.

The sector data subjected to scrambling processing in this way issuccessively supplied to an ECC encoding circuit 61. The ECC encodingcircuit 61 ECC encodes a predetermined number of the input sector data(e.g., sector data of from 16 sectors to 32 sectors).

The ECC-encoded data is supplied to a modulation circuit 51. Themodulation circuit 51, while obtaining necessary information from theconversion table for modulation 53, carries out a predeterminedmodulation (e.g., 8/16 modulation or the like, although the modulationis not limited to this method) on the data which is supplied to. Themodulated data is supplied to a data synthesizing section 44.

The value of the digital sum value (DSV) therefor is calculated at a DSVvalue calculating section 48 for the modulated data (e.g., 6 channelbits) of the end portion of each sector among the modulated datasupplied to the data synthesizing section 44. The calculated DSV valueis supplied to a synchronous code selecting section 46.

The synchronous code selecting section 46 selects a specific (optimal)synchronous code from the plural types of synchronous code tablesrecorded in the synchronous code selection table recording section 47,on the basis of the DSV value calculated at the DSV value calculatingsection 48, and either the lower n bit data from the preset datagenerating section or the lower n bit data from the data generatingsection 67 of the copyright managing information.

Note that, in the present embodiment, four or more types (e.g., eighttypes) of synchronous code tables for the synchronous code (19 a or 19e) at the same place within the sector (e.g., the head position) may beprepared. In this way, a plurality of types (e.g., eight types) of thebit pattern of the synchronous code coming to the head position of eachsector (33 or 34) can be used.

The synchronous code within the synchronous code table selected from thesynchronous code table recording section 47 by the synchronous codeselecting section 46, is, at the data synthesizing section 44, arrangedalternately with the modulation data from the modulation circuit 51.

The data which is structured in this way is recorded to a re-recordableinformation medium 21 (a RAM disk, a RW disk or the like using a changeof phase recording method).

On the other hand, when the synthesized data is for a read onlyinformation medium, the data is

(a) cut at an original plate for ROM disk copying by an original platerecording section of a ROM disk, or

(b) printed onto an R disk (a disk using pigment whose reflectance ofthe recording laser irradiated portions permanently changes) forexclusive use for reproducing after once being recorded, by theinformation recording and reproduction section 41.

The operation of each block element of the above-described apparatus iscontrolled in accordance with a control program recording in the ROMwithin the control section 43, by using the ROM therein as a work area,by an MPU therein.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram for explanation of the structure of aninformation reproduction system for a re-recordable information storagemedium or a read only information storage medium.

In the data structure immediately after reproduction from theinformation storage medium (21 or 22) from the information recording andreproduction section (or reproduction section not having a recordingfunction) 41, in the case of the example of FIG. 26 for example,pre-modulated data 15 a, 15 b, . . . and synchronous codes 19 a, 19 b,19 c, . . . are arranged so as to be mixed together. The reproduced dataimmediately-after reproduction by the reproduction section 41 issupplied to a synchronous code position detecting/extracting section 45and a demodulation circuit 52.

The synchronous code position detecting/extracting section 45 uses apattern matching method, and searches for and detects the synchronouscode at the head position of each sector from the reproduced dataimmediately-after reproduction. After the synchronous code of the headposition is detected, the following synchronous code within that sectoris also detected and extracted.

The information of the extracted synchronous code is supplied to thedemodulation circuit 52. Due to the information of the synchronous codefrom the synchronous code position detecting/extracting section 45, thedemodulation circuit 52 knows the sector head position of thereproduction data from the reproduction section 41, and can also knowthe synchronous code position within that sector.

Within the demodulation circuit 52, the synchronous code included in thesector is deleted by the synchronous code information from thesynchronous code position detecting/extracting section 45. Afterdeletion, the post-modulated data (this is 8/16 modulated) remainingwithin the sector is demodulated on the basis of demodulationinformation from a conversion table for modulation 54.

The data demodulated at the demodulation circuit 52 is supplied to thedescrambling circuit 58 and the ECC decoding circuit 62. Thedescrambling processing is explained in FIGS. 26 and 27.

Namely, information of specific data is within a predetermined range ofdescrambled data. The descrambling circuit 58 first descrambles the dataID, IED portions by using the specific data which is scrambled. Thedescrambled data ID, IED are extracted at a data ID portion & IEDportion extracting section 71. The data ID portion & IED portionextracting section 71 sends the data ID, IED to the control section 43.The control section 43 monitors the successively obtained data IDs.

The MPU of the control section 43 can carry out detection of off-trackby the information contents of descrambled ID 1.

When it is detected that there is off-track, reading of information iscarried out again within a short period.

The data demodulated at the demodulation circuit 52 is supplied to theECC decoding circuit 62 as well. The ECC decoding circuit 62 groupstogether a predetermined number (16 or 32) of sectors into one ECCblock, ECC decodes the ECC encoded data, and thereafter, sends it to thedescrambling circuits 58 and 59.

At the descrambling circuit 59, descrambling of the entire main dataportion is carried out. At this time, the specific data extracted beforeis used scrambled as is. This processing is carried out when it isdetected that there is no off-track.

Note that the identification as to whether the used medium is there-recordable information medium 21 or the read only information storagemedium 22 can be carried out by using medium identifying information(not shown) recorded on a specific portion of the medium (the innerperipheral portion at a disk medium).

The data after descrambling processing is supplied to a data arrangementportion exchanging section 64. The data arrangement portion exchangingsection 64 sends, to the data ID portion & IED portion extractingsection 71, the specific data within the data after descramblingprocessing which has been sent in.

The data ID, IED in the descrambled-processed data are detected by thedata ID portion & IED portion extracting section 71, and the data IDafter error checking is extracted. The main data 6 of a fixed length isextracted by the main data extracting section 73 from the head positionof each obtained sector data, and is supplied to the exterior via aninterface section 42.

The operations of the respective block elements of the apparatus of FIG.29 are controlled in accordance with a control program recorded into theROM inside the control section 43, and by using the RAM therein as awork area, by the MPU therein. Further, the data processing explained inFIGS. 32 to 39 is also carried out in accordance with a control program.

Next, specific examples of the scrambling circuit and the descramblingcircuit will be described.

FIG. 30 shows the scrambling circuit 57, and FIG. 31 shows thedescrambling circuit 58.

The bit array which is the object of scrambling is processed bit-by-bitin units of 8 bits (1 byte).

The scrambling circuit 57 comprises an 8-bit shift register circuit 91,an 8-bit switch array 93 having a predetermined on/off pattern, and anadding circuit array 95 selectively connected to respective bits r0 tor7 of the shift register circuit 91 via the switch array 93.

The shift register circuit 91 is initially cleared (CLR), and in a statein which there is no input A to the data port (DATA), all of the bits r0to r7 become “0”. The shift register circuit 91 receives, bit-by-bit,the input to the data port DATA at a clock timing of a predeterminedclock (CK), and fetches the received bit data while successively bitshifting from bit r0 to r7.

The adding circuit array 95 has seven serially connected 1-bit addressconnected selectively to the bits r0 to r7 of the shift register circuit91, and a final-stage 1-bit address (the right end of the array 95)which 1-bit-adds the cumulative added results of the one-bit-adders andthe scramble input A, and outputs them. Scramble results (scramble data11 a) is outputted from this final-stage 1-bit-adder.

Note that the on/off pattern of the switch array 93 is the same as theon/off pattern of the switch array 93 of the scramble circuit 59 shownin FIG. 31. This on/off pattern becomes one type of key information forthe scrambling/descrambling processing.

The scramble circuit 57 works as follows with respect to input datashown in FIG. 24 or FIG. 25.

<Case of Input Data Shown in FIG. 24>

First, from the head of the specific data (the initial 8 bits of thedata type 3 and the preset data 4) extracted from the sector data whichis to be scrambled, it is supplied to the data port DATA of the shiftregister circuit 91 via the final-stage 1-bit-adder (right end of thearray 95). This specific data SD-A (a 0/1 bit array of 8 bits) is,bit-by-bit from the head thereof, synchronized with the timing of theclock CK, and fetched successively to bits r0 to r7 of the shiftregister circuit 91.

The respective bits r0 to r7 of the shift register circuit 91 areconnected to the adding circuit array 95, which is formed from eightserially connected 1-bit-adders, via the 8-bit switch array 93 having apredetermined on/off pattern. The adding circuit array 95 1-bit-adds(binarily adds), in real time and cumulatively, the 1-bit data (“0” or“1”) which is set (cleared if before setting) at the shift register bitsof positions which are on (e.g., bits r7, r5, r3, r1) among the switcharray 93, and inputs the added results (“0” or “1” of 1 bit) to thefinal-stage 1-bit adder (1-bit adder to which the input A is given). Theoutput of the final-stage 1-bit adder (1-bit added result) is the bit ofthe initial scrambling result with respect to the input A, and is thehead of the specific data of scrambled data 11 a.

Similarly, synchronously with the timing of the clock CK, the data bitsbefore scrambling are, serially and bit-by-bit, fetched at the shiftregister 91. Synchronously therewith and in parallel thereto, thescrambled data bits are, serially and bit-by-bit, outputted from thefinal-stage 1-bit adder of the adding circuit array 95. When output ofthe initial 8-bit scrambled data is completed in this way, immediatelywithout a break, the next 8 bits are similarly scrambled, and thescrambled data bits are outputted from the final-stage 1-bit adder ofthe adding circuit array 95. Thereafter, similarly, the following data(ID 1 and thereafter) is scrambled in predetermined units (8 bits, i.e.,1 byte), and is supplied to the ECC encoding circuit 61 as scrambleddata 11 a.

Among the 0/1 bit array of the 8-bit (1-byte) unit obtained serially inthis way, the portion corresponding to the specific data structured bythe initial, predetermined number of bytes (e.g., 1 byte) is used as thetrigger of the scrambling. Because this is not needed as recordinginformation, it is discarded (or ignored) in the recording processingafter. Because contents which are the same as the discarded portioncorresponding to the specific data are included in the scrambled datathereafter as well, they can be discarded.

<Case of Input Data Shown in FIG. 25>

The circuit operations themselves of the scrambling circuit 57 are thesame as in the case of input data shown in FIG. 24. However, in the caseof input data shown in FIG. 24, the trigger for scrambling is includedin the time-variable data (the preset data 4), whereas, the case ofinput data shown in FIG. 25 differs in that the trigger for scramblingis fixed data (copyright managing information CPR_MAI). Because thetriggers for scrambling are different for input data shown in FIG. 24and input data shown in FIG. 25, even if the same scrambling circuit isused, the scrambled data 11 a with respect to the input data shown inFIG. 24 and the scrambled data 11 b with respect to the input data shownin FIG. 25 are different bit arrays.

In the scrambling circuit 57 of FIG. 30, the adding circuit array 95does not form a processing loop (the added result of the final-stage1-bit adder is not fed-back to another adder input). Thus, even if anerror arises for some reason in the scrambling processing, that errordoes not extend to more than 8 bits. Namely, because the errorpropagation distance is limited to 8 bits, the reliability in thescrambling circuit operation improves.

FIG. 31 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the descramblingcircuit 58. Here, in the same way as the scrambling circuit 57, the bitarray which is the object of descrambling is processed bit-by-bit inunits of 8 bits (1 byte).

The descrambling circuit 58 comprises the 8-bit shift register circuit91, the 8-bit switch array 93 having a predetermined on/off pattern (thesame as the on/off pattern of the switch array 93 of FIG. 30), and theadding circuit array 95 selectively connected to the respective bits r0to r7 of the shift register circuit 91 via the switch array 93.

The shift register circuit 91 is initially cleared CLR, and in a statein which there is no input to the data port DATA, all of the bits r0 tor7 become “0”. The shift register circuit 91 receives, bit-by-bit, theinput to the data port DATA at the clock timing of the predeterminedclock CK, and fetches the received bit data while successively bitshifting from bit r0 to r7.

The adding circuit array 95 has eight serially connected 1-bit addersconnected selectively to the bits r0 to r7 of the shift register circuit91. The descrambled bit array is inputted bit-by-bit from the headthereof to an initial-stage 1-bit adder (right end of the array 95)selectively connected to bit r0. Cumulative added results of the 1-bitadders of the adding circuit array 95 are outputted from the initial-end1-bit adder (the left end of array 95). The bit array of the descrambledresults formed of ID 1, IED 2, CPR_MAIb 8 b, and main data 6 a or ID 1,IED 2, reserve area 35, and main data 6 a is obtained from thefinal-stage 1-bit adder.

<Case of the Data 17 Shown in FIG. 26 Being Descrambled>

The descrambling circuit 58 of FIG. 31 operates as follows with respectto scrambled data 17.

The scrambled data type and the data 23 of the position of the presetdata, and the scrambled data 17 are input to the data port DATA of theshift register circuit 91 successively. This data (a 0/1 bit array of 8bits) is, synchronously with the timing of the clock CK, fetchedsuccessively and bit-by-bit from the head thereof at the bits r0 to r7of the shift register circuit 91.

The bits r0 to r7 of the shift register circuit 91 are connected to theadding circuit array 95, which comprises 8 serially-connected 1-bitadders, via the 8-bit switch array 93 having the same on/off pattern asthe switch array 93 of FIG. 30. The adding circuit array 95 1-bit-adds(binarily adds), cumulatively and in real time, the 1-bit data (“0” or“1”) set at the shift register bit of the position which is on among theswitch array 93, and outputs the added results (“0” or “1” of 1 bit)from the final-stage 1-bit adder (the 1-bit adder of the left end towhich the register r7 is connected). The output of the final-stage 1-bitadder (1-bit added results) is the descrambled data.

Similarly, synchronously with the timing of the clock CK, the data bitsbefore descrambling are, serially and bit-by-bit, fetched at the shiftregister 91, and input to the initial-stage 1-bit adder at the right endof the adding circuit array 95. Synchronously with the timing of theclock CK, the descrambled data bits are, serially and bit-by-bit,outputted from the final-stage 1-bit adder of the adding circuit array95. When output of the initial 8-bit descrambled data is completed inthis way, immediately without a break, the next 8 bits are similarlyscrambled, and the scrambled data bits are outputted from thefinal-stage 1-bit adder of the adding circuit array 95. Thereafter,similarly, the following data is descrambled in predetermined units (8bits, i.e., 1 byte), and the descrambled output A is obtained.

Among the 0/1 bit array of the 8-bit (1-byte) unit obtained serially inthis way, the portion corresponding to the specific data structured bythe initial, predetermined number of bytes (e.g., 1 byte) is used as thecue for starting descrambling processing. Because this is not needed asreproduction information, it is discarded (or ignored) in the recordingprocessing after. Because contents which are the same as the discardedportion corresponding to the specific data (SD-A) are included in thescrambled data thereafter as well, they can be discarded.

<Case of the Data 18 Shown in FIG. 27 Being Descrambled>

The circuit operations themselves of the descrambling circuit are thesame as in the case of data 17. However, in the case of data 17, thetrigger for the descrambling is included in the time-varying data(preset data 4), whereas the case of data 18 differs in that the triggerfor descrambling is fixed data (copyright managing information CPR_MAI).

In this descrambling circuit as well, the adding circuit array 95 doesnot form a processing loop (the added result of the final-stage 1-bitadder is not fed-back to another adder input). Thus, even if an errorarises for some reason in the descrambling processing, that error doesnot extend to 8 bits or more. Namely, because the error propagationdistance is limited to 8 bits, the reliability in the descramblingcircuit operation improves.

<Feature of the Embodiment of FIG. 31>

If the descrambling circuit 58 has a feedback loop with respect to theinput data, when an error arises in the input data for some reason(effects such defects in the information storage medium 21/22 and/or asdust or scratches at the medium surface), the error is propagated inprocessing thereafter by the circulating processing operation of thefeedback loop. However, if no feedback loop is provided, even if anerror is included in the input data, the place of the error is notfed-back (circulated), and will extinguish as is from the shift registercircuit 91 after passing through the shift register circuit 91. Namely,by using a circuit structure not having a feedback loop, thecharacteristic that an error does not propagate for greater than orequal to the number of bits of the shift register circuit 91 (an errorpropagation suppressing characteristic) is obtained.

As described above, in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention, an improvement in the data format (recording data format)recorded on an information storage medium, or an improvement in therecording method or the reproduction method recording information ontoan information storage medium, and an improvement in an informationreproduction apparatus or an information recording and reproductionapparatus, are achieved, and simplification relating to positionaldetection of a synchronization code is aimed for, and reliability ofdetection of a synchronization code can be improved.

As examples in which the present invention is effective, the presentinvention is effective as a technique for ensuring compatibility betweennext-generation DVD formats, next-generation DVD-ROM recording formats,next-generation DVD-R, DVD-RW formats, next-generation DVD-ROM andDVD-R, DVD-RW or DVD-RAM. Further, the present invention can also beapplied to communications equipment using the above-described datastructure.

1. A read only storage medium comprising: user data recording areas andintermediate areas which are alternately arranged, the intermediateareas recording at least information for synchronization.